1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to finishing devices for setting and finishing stockings hose such as stockings and panty hose (hereinafter, simply and generically referred to as `stockings`) by means of templates and steam.
2. Description of the Related Art
Finishing devices for automatically steam finishing stockings most widely used are so arranged that a piece of stocking is loaded to a template adapted to be circumferentially movable, setting treated at a steam setting section provided in the course of the travel of the template, and after being subjected to drying treatment with the heater of a drying oven, automatically drawn off from the template at a take-off section.
Such conventional finishing devices as above are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. SHO 60-218715 and Utility Model Application No. SHO 60-201733.
Such conventional finishing devices, however, are in any case complex in construction at their steam setting sections and take-off sections and therefore large in size, resulting in higher manufacturing cost and moreover, due to more steam consumption required, higher operating cost, with a further problem that troublesome handling is involved in the transfer of stockings to the packaging process subsequent to the take-off thereof.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a finishing device for stockings that is simple in construction at the component sections thereof, thereby allowing the manufacturing cost to be reduced, low in steam consumption, and effective in facilitating the transfer of stockings to the packaging process.
To solve the problems as stated above, the finishing device for stockings according to the present invention is so constructed that templates having two stocking-insertion plates shiftable between juxtaposed and folded positions, i.e. open and closed positions, are arranged so as to be intermittently movable along a circumference, and at positions where the templates are to stop in the circumferential course thereof there are provided in series a steam setting section, a stocking take-off section, and, before and behind the stocking take-off section, opening-closing mechanisms. In this arrangement of the finishing device, the steam setting section comprises a stationary kiln and a movable kiln, the latter movable in advance and retreat with respect to the former, arranged as opposed to each other with a stopped template interposed therebetween, wherein the stationary and movable kilns, when in close proximity to each other, are secured by a lock mechanism with the surroundings airtight in close contact so that the template is accommodated in an internal steam chamber, the stationary kiln having at its lower end a recessed portion for the lower portion of the template to pass therethrough, into and out of which recessed portion an airtight plate also incorporated in the steam setting section comes and goes. The stocking take-off section comprises a stocking push-up mechanism for pinching a stopped template from both sides thereof and moving upward so as to push up the stocking inserted in the template, a pair of endless belts for receiving the stocking pushed up by the stocking push-up mechanism at the opening-closing portion located at the upper ends of the belts with part of the travel portions thereof overlapped each other and the opening-closing portion brought up to just above a stopped template, and then holding and transferring the stocking, insertion means for horizontally extruding the stocking, by an intermediate portion thereof, suspending from the transfer ends of both endless belts, a take-off conveyor for receiving the stocking extruded by the insertion means and transferring it as it is folded in two. The opening-closing mechanisms comprise a vertical plate secured to the lower end of the pivot supporting one stocking-insertion plate of the template as rotatable, a rotator arranged as movable up and down just under a stopped template, and a recessed groove provided on the upper side of the rotator for allowing one stocking-insertion plate to be rotated while being engaged with the vertical plate at the up position of the rotator.